The Livestock auction at the Great Geauga County Fair is a sight to see in itself. Twenty years ago when my dad, Pat Preston, moved our family to Geauga County, we quickly became acclimated with the Fair and its 4-H Livestock Auction. It was a yearly event we all would attend. This year was the first I had been back in a while.
One of my favorite parts of the auction is seeing all of the proud 4-H members display their animals. They have worked so hard at raising them over the past year. Supporting the county in which we work and live is very important to our family. The auction is a great way to do that while also supporting our youth.
My dad believes our mission at Preston Superstore, as far as donations are concerned, is to help out with educational needs in Lake, Geauga, and Portage counties.
“The 4-H program is something we have been involved in for 20 years, and we are the primary buyer of the youth animal projects. Some people are raising their children to take over their farms, so they are learning to take care of animals through 4-H. Others are raising their children in more rural areas and are looking to instill traditional values and have them save for college. We have followed the same process for the last 20 years when bidding on 4-H animals. Customers of ours come in and talk to us about what they hope to accomplish, and we buy or bid up their projects to maximize their returns for college or future projects.”
Weeks after the auction, my dad will pull up to work one day with his purchases all processed. Everyone is pretty excited. “We donate all of the meat we buy to our 100 plus employees as gratitude for all of their hard work that year. We have also donated to the Sisters of Notre Dame and the County Retirement home in the past.”
We are lucky to have a wonderful organization like the Geauga County 4-H program to support that not only raises excellent livestock, but also contributes to the excellent character the youth develop through the process.
**Amanda Hrabak of New DIrection Photography is an award winning portrait photographer and has been the official fair photographer for many years. If you are interested in purchasing any livestock sale photos or other fair photos, or if you have photographer needs from weddings to portraits, contact Amanda at her website, New Direction Photography, or call (440) 708-0965
Author: Jackie Preston Franck
Jackie Preston Franck works on marketing and advertising for the Preston Superstore in Burton. Jackie has a background in broadcast television and has been involved in the car business for 20 years. She grew up in Newbury and now resides in Auburn Township with her husband Andy and their two children.